Here's What Disaster Preppers Pack to Survive for 72 Hours

Sam's Bug Out Bag. Sam’s bag includes a variety of foods, walkie talkies and radio for communication, a deck of cards, and wine, which Sam heard counteracts the effects of radiation poisoning.

Jeff's Go Bag. Jeff’s Go Bag includes a bulletproof vest, gas mask, and bulletproof helmet. It was designed to get him to his car, where he had guns, knives, an axe, camping gear, water, and food. He also had property off grid where he would bug out to when SHTF (shit hits the fan).

Max's Bug Out Bag for Home. Max’s bag includes clean clothes, a gun and ammunition, first aid and personal hygiene supplies, spare set of prescription glasses, transistor radio, tools, and a survival manual.

Mike's Bug Out Bag. Mike's bag contains tequila and phenobarbital.

Phil's Bug Out Bag. Phil is a Civil War Reenactor. His bag contains the supplies a civilian in 1864 would carry to bug out. It includes hardtack and an apple for food, cooking gear, wool blankets, and lye soap.

Pet Pac for Cat. The Pet Pac for a cat retails for $90.00 and contains, food, bowls, water, a collar with bells, a portable litter box, a trowel, a pet first aid kit, and toys.

SNR Ready to Go Basic for 3. The SNR bag retails for $59.99 and contains supplies for up to 3 people, including MREs, water, a transistor radio, a whistle, emergency ponchos, blankets, and tissues.

MM's Bug Out Bag. MM’s bag contains several weapons and tools, three pairs of socks, waterproof paper and pens, an extra phone, marijuana, a beer, and a cigar.

SP Gear Bug Out Bag Level 1. The SP bag is a basic disaster bag available for purchase. It contains a leatherman, Hotties and emergency blankets for warmth, firestarters, MREs and water, light sticks, and a first aid kit.

Curtis's Bug Out Bag for Car. Curtis lives in earthquake country and his bag contains a Lifestraw (a personal water filtering system), light sticks, an orange plastic recycling bag that could be used for shelter, a raincoat, or as a “flag” to notify helicopters of your presence.

Simon's Bug Out Bag. Simon’s bag was prepared by Homeland Security and given to New
Yorkers after Hurricane Sandy. In order to receive a bag you would attend a Saturday afternoon disaster preparedness seminar. It includes safety goggles, duct tape, a whistle, MREs and water, and a first aid kit.

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When all hell breaks loose, it may be awhile before anyone comes to help. That's why the government suggests having a three-day supply of essentials on hand. For some, that might mean food and water. For others, it might mean a pistol and plenty of ammo. And at least one guy wants to make sure he doesn't run out of booze and barbiturates.

You can tell a lot about a person by what he's stuffed into his bug-out bag for the natural disaster everyone knows is coming but few want to think about. Allison Stewart dives headlong into the world of hardcore disaster prep with her series Bug Out Bags, a fascinating look at what people have squirreled away.

It runs the gamut, and each bag reflects the fears and obsessions of the person who packed it. Some worry about earthquakes or hurricanes, but others see more nefarious threats, like the utter collapse of society. Whatever the threat, everyone covers the basics: food, water, shelter, first aid. But a few take the whole survival thing really, really seriously. They'll pack a gas mask, tools, even serious firepower. There's an entire pack for a cat, including play toys and a trowel (presumably for disaster poop-scooping), and one woman who absolutely, positively wants to ensure she has enough batteries. Stewart has seen it all. But one guy really surprised her.

“The bag with tequila and phenobarbital is definitely the most surprising bag I ever photographed,” Stewart says. “It is an extremely escapist approach to bugging out."

Stewart has photographed 30 bags in five states since launching the project last year. She started with friends and acquaintances who have bug-out bags. Then she started finding people on Craigslist. Since then, it's all been word of mouth—almost everyone she's spoken to about the project knows someone with a bag. She's got one too, but it's a bit of a mess and isn't in her car, where it should be.

She's no stranger to this world. Stewart grew up on the Gulf Coast, where anyone with half a brain is ready for the next hurricane. Hurricane Katrina proved to all that you can't count on anyone to be quick or effective in responding. “During Katrina all confidence in our government’s ability to rescue us in a crisis was lost,” she says. “FEMA was completely unprepared and incompetent in New Orleans."

The project is far from over, so if you've got a bag you'd like photographed, ping Stewart through her website.